FAQ

Am I too old to practice yoga?

No one is too old to practice yoga. There have been people who practice yoga and start at all ages and process of varying degrees of proficiency. The key to practicing yoga is not age, but rather an open mind and heart.

Do I need to do anything special before I come to practice yoga?

Ashtanga yoga should be practiced on an empty stomach. Try not to eat two hours prior to class. Also, please try to refrain from drinking during class. Come to class hydrated by having water no less than 15 min before class. Drinking during class counteracts the process of building heat in the body and therefore decreases the detoxifying effects of yoga.

Do I need to register ahead of time? How about parking?

No, you do not need to register ahead of time for regularly scheduled classes, however, please leave ample opportunity to find suitable parking. There are several parking options: free parking available on residential streets Monday through Friday before 6pm, metered street parking is available everyday, there is a small metered parking lot diagonal to Miami Life Center, or 4 blocks away is the multi-level public parking Publix garage on the corner of 5th Street & Alton Road with the entrance on Lenox Avenue between 5th & 6th streets.

How often should I practice?

Traditionally, ashtanga yoga is practiced 6 days a week, leaving one day for rest. We also take off on the days of the new and full moon. Women should take off 2-3 days during menstruation. Mysore style ashtanga yoga has a cumulative effect on the body and should be practiced a minimum of 3 days per week. As your schedule permits, more days should gradually be added. It is when we are practicing in the traditional manner that we receive the greatest benefit.

Is yoga a form of physical exercise and can I cross train with it?

Yes yoga is a comprehensive form of physical exercise, yet while fitness is an important aspect of yoga, it is not the only benefit you gain from regular practice. One hour of yoga includes both cardiovascular, strength training, weight bearing, endurance, aerobic, and core-based exercises. You may choose to cross train with yoga, however, there are certain activities which are not complimentary with the yoga practice.

I’m not flexible, can I still do yoga?

At Miami Life Center, we welcome all type of bodies. Yoga is a physical exercise that will help increase your flexibility over time. You do not need to be flexible when you start yoga, however, over time you will see your range of flexibility increase. Over time, the regular and consistent practice of yoga will instill a balance between both strength and flexibility.

What about pre-existing pain and old injuries?

While you might feel sore or tired after doing your yoga practice or sometimes even during your yoga practice, it is not necessary to push your body to point of creating an injury. Throughout our lives we primarily tell our body what to do. With time, the yoga practice becomes an opportunity to listen to and respect what your body wants to tell you and do with you. In the advent of an injury, whether related to yoga or past outside experience, there are many special adjustments, modifications and considerations that one of our qualified teachers can advise you of. One of the main benefits of the yoga practice that you will experience over time is healing. By creating and inviting more balance into your overall state of being, a regular yoga practitioner creates the space to allow healing into their body on multiple levels.

What if I feel sore or fatigued?

This is normal when starting any physical practice. It is recommended that you commit to practicing despite these conditions. It is better to do what you can than disrupt your practice routine. Gradually your body will become acclimated to the practice. Through experience we learn discernment and how to practice at the edge of our abilities, reaping the greatest benefit without overwhelming our body and mind.

What is yoga?

Yoga is an ancient tradition rooted in India that uses a special type of physical movement and breathing exercises as an entry to a healthy, strong and flexible body, a balanced lifestyle, an open heart and a clear, calm mind. On its most basic level, it is a science of deep personal transformation based on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, a text authored in Southern Asia sometime between 200 B.C. and 500 B.C.E. The word yoga means to yoke or unify and through regular practice, a dedicated practitioner begins to experience the benefits of a unified state of consciousness, peace of mind and health and well-being.

What should I wear?

Clothing that is suitable for yoga is something comfortable that you would wear for any form of physical exercise. Please bear in mind that you will sweat and move in a dynamic way and that overly baggy clothing is not advisable.

Why do I need a teacher?

If you wanted to get from Miami, Florida to Boise, Idaho and you set out on I-95 without a map, directions or a guide, you would probably find your way sooner or later. But if you want to make sure you know the way, you might also choose to get directions from someone who has clearly traveled the distance before. You might even ask a guide to take you all the way because it just might save you some time. In case there are many people who say they’ve been to Boise before, you might have to trust the person that you connect mostly deeply with to lead you in the right direction. And that certain someone would, of course, have a quality that you connect with, something deep that emanates from their being that lets you know that you want to go exactly where they’ve been.

Why should I choose Miami Life Center over all of other centers, hotels and gyms that offer yoga?

Miami Life Center offers you an unparalleled standard of excellence in all its endeavors. Both our facility and our teachers are unlike any other yoga studio in the Miami area. Created as a community center in an urban retreat space, Miami Life Center encourages a multifaceted approach to your experience of yoga. Complete with many complimentary disciplines, such as nutrition and life coaching, Miami Life Center offer you comprehensive support for your inner journey. Our Ashtanga teachers have trained in Mysore, India or with a direct student of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. We ask a lot of our staff and they in turn give you a lot back.

Why should I commit to one discipline?

There are many disciplines of yoga and for a period of time when one is starting out, it is appropriate to try many different styles. However, after an appropriate period of shopping around, we leave the world of materialism and move more deeply into our selves. Just as when we choose one teacher, we also choose one discipline. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe answers this best of all, “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness…The moment one definitely commits oneself, Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred…Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

Why should I practice yoga?

People come to yoga for many reasons. Whether you are interested in physical fitness, healing chronic injuries, or experiencing inner peace, yoga has something to offer you. It is a fully integrated mind-body technique that is proven in numerous scientific studies to lower your level of stress, while increasing your sense of health and happiness. If you are interested in working with the quality of your mind, a regular yoga practice is the perfect place to practice mental clarity. By synchronizing the breathe, body and mind, a dedicated practitioner begins to experience deep and lasting transformation.